Troy Gas Light Company

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Troy Gas Light Company: A historic gas plant in Troy, New York

The Troy Gas Light Company was a gas lighting business in Troy, New York. Its most notable feature is the Troy Gasholder Building, a brick structure that housed a tall, telescoping gas storage system. The building is one of only a few of its kind that still survive from the 19th century, and it was designed by Frederick A. Sabbaton, a well-known gas engineer.

What it did
The gasholder stored coal gas produced on site and used to light streets and homes. It worked as a two‑part, telescoping system. The upper section was about 100 feet in diameter and 22 feet high, while the lower section was about 101.5 feet in diameter and 22 feet high. The system could hold about 333,000 cubic feet of gas and used a pressure of roughly 4.5 inches of water to push gas into the distribution lines.

The plant complex
The gasholder stood within a larger gas works complex along Fifth Avenue, near Liberty Street, with several supporting buildings. The site included a coal shed, a retort house where coal was burned to make gas, a condenser to remove some byproducts, an exhauster room to move gas through the system, a boiler room, a purifying building to remove sulfur, and offices. There were also additional coal docks and sheds nearby. The whole operation relied on coal brought in by ship and rail, and nearby storage and processing buildings made up the full gas-making process.

History and evolution
The Troy Gas Light Company began supplying illuminating gas in 1848 and held a citywide monopoly for many years. In 1875, the Troy Citizens Gas Light Company was formed, introducing competition. By 1889, three local gas companies merged to form the Troy Gas Company. Over the years, electricity and other utilities joined the mix, with the Troy Electric Light Company (founded in 1886) merging in about 1893, and the Beacon Electric Company joining in 1908. The gas company later became part of larger power interests in the region, eventually linking with Mohawk Hudson Power Corporation in 1926 and Niagara-Hudson Power Corporation in 1929.

The gasholder’s life and after
The gasholder building remained in use into the early 20th century, but it was taken out of service in the 1920s when a new central plant was built in Menands, New York. The gasholder was removed and sold for scrap in the 1930s. Over the years, the brick gasholder house found other uses, including storage for a circus manager, marching practice space for local bands, and later general storage and a garage, with occasional music and arts events.

Historic designation
The Troy Gasholder Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 18, 1971 (NRHP reference number 71000556), recognizing its importance in the history of Troy and the development of urban gas lighting.